The present invention relates to hand firearms. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a magazine retainer mechanism that is actuatable from either side of the firearm for left or right handed operation.
Automatic pistols typically utilize latches for locking and unlocking the magazine of the pistol into the magazine chamber, located in the handle of the pistol. Known latches include a sliding type which is seated and guided transversely with respect to the chamber receiving the magazine, so as to engage a notch provided on a lateral surface of the magazine. Most sliding latches heretofore known are unidirectional, for use by one hand only. Some of these may be assembled for use in the right or left hand. Others are truly ambidextrous latches that may be used at any time by either right handed or left handed users. But these are typically difficult to operate, assemble and disassemble
Numerous patents are disclosed where the latch is reversible from fixed positions for right handed persons and left handed persons. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,337 (Beretta) discloses a reversible sliding magazine latch for pistols for right handed or left handed individuals. A spring biased U-shaped latch is located in the pistol handle and may be manually reversed in position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,311 (Girogosian) discloses a reversible magazine latch system for pistols. A latch seat extends through the pistol and may be disposed and retained by the seat in either a left hand or right hand orientation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,818 (Fedora et al.) discloses a magazine catch for a pistol that is reversible for operation from either side of the pistol to release the magazine from the pistol. The catch includes a pin carrying a pair of projections. One of the projections engages a slot in the side of the magazine to retain the magazine in the pistol handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,902 (Wigton) discloses a magazine catch that includes a lever to draw out the catch. The lever is positioned for operation by the shooter's left thumb in addition to a button release positioned for the right thumb. The lever may be mounted in either of two positions for a left handed or right handed shooter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,476 (Hindle) discloses a reversible magazine catch mechanism that includes an actuator button removably fitted onto a shaft which is disposed for slideable axial movement in a bore which extends laterally through the frame of the gun.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,301 (Lishness et al.) discloses a reversible magazine catch that includes a housing, a moveable mounting pin and a coiled spring. The housing has a spring channel that is perpendicular and intersecting a spring hole and a magazine locking rib. The spring biases the housing relative to the pin and forms a slidable friction hold of the pin.
It is desirable to have magazine catches that are truly ambidextrous in that they can be used by both left handed and right handed users without rearranging the latch mechanism. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,985 (Smith et al.) discloses an ambidextrous magazine release for gun magazines for retrofit into an automatic pistol. A pivoting lever with a cam surfaced catch on the end engages the magazine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,326,353 (Ludwig et al.) discloses a magazine catch release for a pistol that can be actuated from either side of the pistol. An actuating member extends on both sides of the pistol and is connected with a locking lever so that actuation of the actuation member pivots the lever to unlock the magazine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,509 (Smith) discloses an ambidextrous magazine catch which is operable by either hand on either side of the firearm. An aperture in the front wall of the magazine is engaged by the nose of the catch that is pivotable in a slot in the wall of the magazine well from a central position in which the catch nose engages the aperture to either of two extreme positions in which the nose is withdrawn from the aperture.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,892 (Ruger et al.) discloses an ambidextrous magazine latch for a pistol in which a hand-operable cross lever is positioned by resilient means against the pistol's frame with lever ends that protrude from both sides of the pistol's handle. By applying hand pressure to either lever end, the lever twists against the resilient means to withdraw the latch protrusion out of the magazine to release the magazine.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,519,954 (Garrett) discloses an ambidextrous magazine release mechanism for firearms that may be operable from either the right or left side of the firearm. The release is nonsymmetrical thereby causing different action depending upon whether a left side or right side button is depressed.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2006/0123683 (Garrett et al.) discloses an ambidextrous magazine release mechanism for firearms that may be operable from either the right or left side of the firearm. The release is nonsymmetrical thereby causing different action depending upon whether a left side or right side button is depressed.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,559,166 (Bubits) discloses a pistol having a magazine catch that is releasable from either side. A sliding block is arranged so as to be displaceable in a transverse direction and is held in its middle position by at least one spring. The sliding block has a vertical groove on either side of the lug which can be brought into the path of movement of the lug during insertion of the magazine by displacement of the sliding block in either one of two directions.
Other magazine catches operable for either right or left handed users include, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,638,581 (Moore) discloses an ambidextrous magazine catch for a pistol. The magazine catch is disposed transversely through the frame and is biased in a position that retains the magazine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,144 (Egan et al.) discloses an ambidextrous release for a magazine in a pistol that uses a catch lock release in which a catch lock release lever is positioned on the gun butt or grip.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,301 (Thomas) discloses a magazine latch that includes two positive detent latches in a concave portion and separated by a central groove. The detente latches have an outer arched or curved surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,892 (Ruger et al.) discloses an ambidextrous magazine latch for a pistol in which a hand-operable cross lever is positioned by resilient means against the pistol's frame with lever ends that protrude from both sides of the pistol's handle. By applying hand pressure to either lever end, the lever twists against the resilient means to withdraw the latch protrusion out of the magazine to release the magazine.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,134 (Wesp et al.) discloses a magazine retainer for a firearm that is mounted to pivot in a recess in the stock of the pistol. The magazine retainer is provided with two lateral actuation plates which are positioned in openings on both sides of the rear portion of the trigger guard and these trigger guard openings have a depth which corresponds to the thickness of the actuation plates.
U.S. Patent App. Pub. No. 2010/0287806 (Marfione et al.) discloses a magazine release assembly for use with a pistol that has a pin configured to be positioned through an end of a pistol trigger guard. A magazine release arm is pivotally mounted to the pin. The catch has a ledge which engages a notch on the magazine wall when the release arm is pivoted to an engaged position and which pivots away from the notch when the release arm is disengaged. There may be two magazine release arms, making the magazine release assembly ambidextrous.
Finally, in a related invention, but no specifically directed to a magazine latch, U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,769 (Mueschke) is directed to an ambidextrous safety for a pistol in which finger levers are located on both sides of the pistol which move together as a pair utilizing a frame structure.
It would be desirable to have an ambidextrous magazine catch that avoids unnecessary side load forces to the magazine from the catch mechanism.
It would further be desirable to provide an easy and controlled ambidextrous latch mechanism that can be easily assembled and disassembled.
All references cited herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.